Another mystery: Walter Ivens / Walter Ivin b.1846

This time, I have a young Walter Ivin, b.1847, who was brought up in Quenington, Gloucestershire. Quenington is quite close to Cirencester, Coln St Alwyn and Bibury on the southern edge of the Cotswold Hills.

Walter was the son of James Ivin and Sarah (nee Coppen) of Quenington, and his dad was a (stone)mason. I know this to be true because he is visible in both the 1851 aged 4, and 1861 census aged 14. I also have his baptism record.

But, in the 1861 census there is also a Walter Ivens, aged 15, who is at school in Tottenham, London. Not just anywhere in Tottenham, but in Lordship Lane, Tottenham. Furthermore, this Walter is listed as being born in Portugal, but of British nationality. That’s not uncommon in this family, since some of William Ivens’ (of Swinbrook) descendants were born in the Azores.

Meanwhile, in 1869, young Walter is now a gardener aged 22 and is getting married to Ellen Newman, the daughter of a greengrocer. Walter’s dad is at the marriage ceremony listed as ‘James Ivin, mason’.

What’s the problem?

They are getting married in Tottenham London. Not just anywhere in Tottenham, but in Lordship Lane, Tottenham.

Coincidence? Almost certainly.

Walter, the schoolboy, is probably Walter Howard Ivens, son of Arthur Hickling Ivens, and therefore grandson of William Ivens of Swinbrook, so no great mystery there. He’s destined to eventually die in Valencia, Spain aged just 28.

But where are Walter Ivin and his wife Ellen in any subsequent census? Did they stay in London or head back to Gloucestershire? A popular destination for gardeners at that time was Kent – the garden of England. Maybe they went that way.